Shield for Tabletop Protection of Gambling Chips

ABSTRACT

A gambling chip shield comprising an attachment section configured to removably attach to an outer rim of a gambling chip rack, and a shield section configured to extend from the attachment section in the direction of a chip storage section of the gambling chip rack and upward from an upper surface of the attachment section.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/702,665 filed on Jul. 24, 2018 and titled The Chip Guard Protects High Denominated Casino Chips from Theft. The content of this application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices for protecting gambling ships stored in a chip rack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prevention of theft of gambling chips at gambling tables is a constant concern for gambling facility operators. While monitoring of gamblers may prevent thefts from being successful after illegally grabbing gambling chips from a gambling chip rack, preventing the thief from gaining possession of the chips is preferable. However, any device that prevents such theft must also permit the gambling chips to be visible to gamblers, so that the gamblers may have confidence in the transactions in chip exchanges made by the individual in control of the gambling chip rack. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a structure that can protect gambling chips stored in a gambling chip rack while still permitting viewing of the chips.

This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the above in mind, embodiments of the present invention are related to a gambling chip shield comprising an attachment section configured to removably attach to an outer rim of a gambling chip rack and a shield section configured to extend from the attachment section in the direction of a chip storage section of the gambling chip rack and upward from an upper surface of the attachment section. In some embodiments, the shield section may have a curvature. In further embodiments, the curvature of the shield section may defines a concavity on a lower surface thereof.

In some embodiments, the shield section may be attached to a portion of the attachment section that is proximate to the chip storage section of the gambling chip rack. In some embodiments, the shield section may be attached to a portion of the attachment section that is distant from the chip storage section of the gambling chip rack.

In some embodiments, the attachment section and the shield section may be integrally formed as a single member. In some embodiments, the shield section may be transparent. In some embodiments, the shield section may be configured to extend such that it vertically overlies a chip cover of the gambling chip rack. In some embodiments, the gambling chip shield may have a length that is less than a length of the chip storage section of the gambling chip rack.

In some embodiments the attachment section may comprise an interfacing surface configured to interface with the outer rim of the gambling chip rack, and the interfacing surface may be configured to interface with the outer rim of the gambling chip rack to prevent detachment of the gambling chip shield upon application of a lateral force to the gambling chip shield.

In some embodiments, the attachment section may comprise opposing arms at opposite ends of the attachment section configured to interface with another section of the outer rim of the gambling chip rack.

In some embodiments, the shield section may have a linear length within a range from 13.5 centimeters to 14.5 centimeters and a curvilinear width within a range from 10.5 centimeters to 11.5 centimeters. In some embodiments, the attachment section may have a length within a range from 13.5 centimeters to 14.5 centimeters and a width within a range from 6.5 centimeters to 7.5 centimeters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chip shield according to an embodiment of the present invention attached to a gambling chip rack.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a chip shield according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a chip shield according to an embodiment of the present invention attached to a gambling chip rack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Those of ordinary skill in the art realize that the following descriptions of the embodiments of the present invention are illustrative and are not intended to be limiting in any way. Other embodiments of the present invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

Although the following detailed description contains many specifics for the purposes of illustration, anyone of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many variations and alterations to the following details are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following embodiments of the invention are set forth without any loss of generality to, and without imposing limitations upon, the claimed invention.

In this detailed description of the present invention, a person skilled in the art should note that directional terms, such as “above,” “below,” “upper,” “lower,” and other like terms are used for the convenience of the reader in reference to the drawings. Also, a person skilled in the art should notice this description may contain other terminology to convey position, orientation, and direction without departing from the principles of the present invention.

Furthermore, in this detailed description, a person skilled in the art should note that quantitative qualifying terms such as “generally,” “substantially,” “mostly,” and other terms are used, in general, to mean that the referred to object, characteristic, or quality constitutes a majority of the subject of the reference. The meaning of any of these terms is dependent upon the context within which it is used, and the meaning may be expressly modified.

An embodiment of the invention, as shown and described by the various figures and accompanying text, provides a gambling chip shield that is removably attachable to a gambling chip rack. The gambling chip shield may provide a physical hindrance to a player at a gambling table from stealing gambling chips from the gambling chip rack.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a gambling chip shield 100 according to an embodiment of the invention is presented. The gambling chip shield 100 may comprise an attachment section 110 and a shield section 120. In some embodiments, the attachment section 110 and the shield section 120 are integrally formed as a single member. In some embodiments, the attachment section 110 and the shield section 120 are independently formed and joined together, such that the shield section 120 is attached to a portion of the attachment section 110 that is proximate to the chip storage section 131. The shield section 120 may extend from the attachment section 110 in a direction of a chip storage section 131 of a gambling chip rack 130 and upward from an upper surface 111 of the attachment section.

The attachment section 110 may be configured to removably attach to an outer rim 132 of the gambling chip rack 130. To facilitate such attachment, the attachment section 110 may comprise an interfacing surface 112. The interfacing surface 112 may be configured to conform to a shape of the outer rim 132. Interfacing between the interfacing surface 112 and the outer rim 132 may removably attach the gambling chip shield 100 to the gambling chip rack 130. However, the interfacing may be such that the amount of force necessary to detach the gambling chip shield 100 from the gambling chip rack 130 is difficult to exert by a person reaching across a gambling table, i.e. someone sitting at the table across from the gambling chip rack 130. The interfacing surface 112 may be defined by a body member 113 and a downward extending member 114 extending downward from the body member 113 comprised by the attachment section 110.

Some or any part of the gambling chip shield 100 may be transparent or translucent, including the shield section 120. The shield member 120 may have a curvature defining a concavity on a lower surface 121 thereof. The extension of the shield member 120 may be such that it vertically overlies a portion of a chip cover 133 of the gambling chip rack 130.

The gambling chip shield 100 may have a length/that is less than a length of the chip storage section 131. The length/may be defined by the length of the attachment section 110, which may be within a range from 13.5 centimeters to 14.5 centimeters. Additionally, the attachment section 110 may have a width 115 within a range from 6.5 centimeters to 7.5 centimeters. Furthermore, the shield section 120 may have a linear length 122 within a range from 13.5 centimeters to 14.5 centimeters and a curvilinear width 123 within a range from 10.5 centimeters to 11.5 centimeters.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a gambling chip shield 200 according to an embodiment of the invention is presented. The gambling chip shield 200 may comprise an attachment section 210 similar to that of the attachment section 110 shown in FIG. 1. The gambling chip shield 200 may further comprise a shield section 220 attached to a side of an upper surface 211 of the attachment section 210 that is generally distant from a chip storage section of a gambling chip rack when the gambling chip shield 200 is attached to the gambling chip rack. The shield section 220 may extend over the attachment section 210 and toward the chip storage section.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a gambling chip shield 300 according to an embodiment of the invention is presented. The gambling chip shield 300 may comprise an attachment section 310 and a shield section 320. In this embodiment, the shield section 320 may extend from a portion of the attachment section 310 distant from a chip rack 350 at first away and upward, but curving back towards the chip rack 340.

The gambling chip shield 300 may further comprise a pair of arms 330. The arms 330 may be attached to one or both of the attachment section 310 and the shield section 320, or be integrally formed therewith. Furthermore, the arms 330 may be positioned at opposing ends of the attachment section 310 and/or the shield section 320. The arms 330 may be configured to conform to and interface with side edges 342 of the chip guard 330 that is perpendicular to a front edge 344 of the chip guard 340 the attachment section 310 interfaces with. Such interfacing between the arms 330 and the side edges 342 may prevent the movement of the chip guard 300 along a longitudinal axis of the attachment section 310. Furthermore, the arms 330 may extend generally away from the attachment section 310 and/or the shield section 320 and taper towards an end 332.

Some of the illustrative aspects of the present invention may be advantageous in solving the problems herein described and other problems not discussed which are discoverable by a skilled artisan.

While the above description contains much specificity, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any embodiment, but as exemplifications of the presented embodiments thereof. Many other ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of the various embodiments. While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best or only mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.

Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples given. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A gambling chip shield comprising: an attachment section configured to removably attach to an outer rim of a gambling chip rack; and a shield section configured to extend from the attachment section in the direction of a chip storage section of the gambling chip rack and upward from an upper surface of the attachment section.
 2. The gambling chip shield of claim 1 wherein the shield section has a curvature.
 3. The gambling chip shield of claim 2 wherein the curvature of the shield section defines a concavity on a lower surface thereof.
 4. The gambling chip shield of claim 1 wherein the shield section is attached to a portion of the attachment section that is proximate to the chip storage section of the gambling chip rack.
 5. The gambling chip shield of claim 1 wherein the shield section is attached to a portion of the attachment section that is distant from the chip storage section of the gambling chip rack.
 6. The gambling chip shield of claim 1 wherein the attachment section and the shield section are integrally formed as a single member.
 7. The gambling chip shield of claim 1 wherein the shield section is transparent.
 8. The gambling chip shield of claim 1 wherein the shield section is configured to extend such that it vertically overlies a chip cover of the gambling chip rack.
 9. The gambling chip shield of claim 1 wherein the gambling chip shield has a length that is less than a length of the chip storage section of the gambling chip rack.
 10. The gambling chip shield of claim 1 wherein: the attachment section comprises an interfacing surface configured to interface with the outer rim of the gambling chip rack; and the interfacing surface is configured to interface with the outer rim of the gambling chip rack to prevent detachment of the gambling chip shield upon application of a lateral force to the gambling chip shield.
 11. The gambling chip shield of claim 1 wherein the attachment section comprises opposing arms at opposite ends of the attachment section configured to interface with another section of the outer rim of the gambling chip rack.
 12. The gambling chip shield of claim 1 wherein the shield section has a linear length within a range from 13.5 centimeters to 14.5 centimeters and a curvilinear width within a range from 10.5 centimeters to 11.5 centimeters.
 13. The gambling chip shield of claim 1 wherein the attachment section has a length within a range from 13.5 centimeters to 14.5 centimeters and a width within a range from 6.5 centimeters to 7.5 centimeters.
 14. A gambling chip shield comprising: an attachment section configured to removably attach to an outer rim of a gambling chip rack, comprising an interfacing surface configured to interface with the outer rim of the gambling chip rack; and a shield section having a curvature and being configured to extend from the attachment section in the direction of a chip storage section of the gambling chip rack and upward from an upper surface of the attachment section; wherein the interfacing surface is configured to interface with the outer rim of the gambling chip rack to prevent detachment of the gambling chip shield upon application of a lateral force to the gambling chip shield.
 15. The gambling chip shield of claim 14 wherein the curvature of the shield section defines a concavity on a lower surface thereof.
 16. The gambling chip shield of claim 14 wherein the shield section is attached to a portion of the attachment section that is distant from the chip storage section of the gambling chip rack.
 17. The gambling chip shield of claim 14 wherein the shield section is configured to extend such that it vertically overlies a chip cover of the gambling chip rack.
 18. The gambling chip shield of claim 14 wherein the gambling chip shield has a length that is less than a length of the chip storage section of the gambling chip rack.
 19. The gambling chip shield of claim 14 wherein the attachment section comprises opposing arms at opposite ends of the attachment section configured to interface with another section of the outer rim of the gambling chip rack.
 20. A gambling chip shield comprising: an attachment section configured to removably attach to an outer rim of a gambling chip rack, the attachment section comprising: a body member; and opposing arms at opposite ends of the attachment section configured to interface with another section of the outer rim of the gambling chip rack; and a shield section configured to extend from the attachment section in the direction of a chip storage section of the gambling chip rack and upward from an upper surface of the attachment section and to extend such that it vertically overlies a chip cover of the gambling chip rack. 